Sunderland AFC news round-up: West Ham United moving on from Defoe as Moyes looks to do business
West Ham United close in on Scott Hogan
Away from the SoL there looks to have been progress in West Ham's pursuit of Scott Hogan, with reports that they are confident of agreeing a £12 million fee with Brentford.
It was revealed last week that the Hammers had accepted defeat in their pursuit of Defoe, and this move would beef up their attacking numbers.
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Hide AdSo is it really the end of the Defoe saga? It looks that way, but given the way they've gone about their business this month, you can't be completely sure.
Khazri is OK
There was a bit of anxiety last night as Wahbi Khazri was stretchered off in Tunisia's AFCON warm-up game with Egypt.
However, it has since been confirmed that he merely sprained his ankle.
Many have pointed out that given his lack of game time this season a bad injury would have mattered little, but if the Black Cats were looking to move him on this month to raise funds, that could have scuppered it.
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Hide AdHe'll be fit for his nation's first game, against Senegal on January 15th. Will he put himself in the shop window?
Lens wants Turkey stay
Fenerbahce's pursuit of various Sunderland players has been one of January's biggest talking points so far, and now Lens' father has said he is hopeful that the Black Cats will allow his son to complete his loan.
Lens has been brilliant for the Turkish giants, and there had been whispers that Sunderland might try and cash in while his stock his high. The Turkish media are also saying that Sunderland turned down the chance to exchange Lens for Emmanuel Emenike and Gregory van der Wiel. Common sense if so, with that pair likely to add to Sunderland's wage bill considerably and probably not worth the £8 million paid for Lens.
Papy owns up to Turf Moor horror show
Papy Djilibodji has opened up on the Turf Moor debacle on New Year's Eve, admitting it to be the worst performance of his career.
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Hide AdIn an interview with the national press, he has also explained his omission from Senegal's AFCON squad.
He said: "I didn’t want to go (to the tournament in Gabon) because I’m not friends with the coach in Senegal so that’s it, I don’t want to work with someone who doesn’t like me. He doesn’t like me and I don’t like him. I like (Sunderland manager) David Moyes and he likes me, I think."
Moyes, meanwhile, has been chatting January plans and you can read that here.